Former greyhound racing park in Kenosha sees buyer interest (UPDATE)

KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — A more than 200-acre parcel of land that was home to Dairyland Greyhound Park and that has sat empty and unused since 2009 may finally have a buyer.

Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian told the Kenosha News that the city has been informed that a buyer is taking legal steps for a possible sale.

“I have a strong feeling a (sale) is moving forward,” Antaramian said.

Antaramian said the city’s goal is to use the land for manufacturing. Many of the recent developments nearby have focused on warehousing, distribution and logistics.

The property has been marketed by Houston-based Transwestern, which represents Alabama-based Pari-Mutuel Funding. The location has been rebranded as the Midwest Innovation Center in its marketing materials.

According to Transwestern’s Thomas Boyle, whose company handles industrial leasing and took on the listing, the property is one of few in Kenosha and Racine counties that can immediately have a single building up to 1.2 million square feet.

“And because infrastructure is already in place, construction can begin much sooner than at other properties nearby, where issues like wetlands mitigation and public entitlements have yet to be resolved,” said Boyle.

The site sat empty for years as the Menominee Indian Tribe and Hard Rock International sought state approval to build an $800 million casino and entertainment complex. Gov. Scott Walker eventually killed the proposal.

“The owners of the site have a very strong feeling about the value of the property,” Antaramian said. “And they were going to hold out until they got the price they thought would be acceptable. And I think that’s what they did.”